Ezekiel Elliott had an down year in 2021, but Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy believes it was just a temporary setback for the star running back. McCarthy was confident in Zeke, going so far as to state that he expects him to have his best year yet in 2022. Via Mark Lane, WFAA Dallas McCarthy explained why Elliott is set for a huge season, echoing sentiments expressed by Dak Preston.
“I think the biggest thing with Zeke is he’s completely healthy now and he’s had a tremendous offseason,” said McCarthy. “The weight that he has been pushing in the weight room, just the numbers that he’s been cranking out have been very, very impressive. I can’t tell you it’s been the best of his career, but he’s in top shape. At the end of the day, he’s an extremely instinctive, tough, smart football player, great teammate. So, I think he’s definitely set himself up for that.”
#Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy says Ezekiel Elliott has had a "tremendous offseason." pic.twitter.com/kWE4potPDK
— Mark Lane (@therealmarklane) June 16, 2022
This is good news for Cowboys fans who hope to see Zeke compete for the title of rushing champion again in 2021. To be fair to Elliott, even though it was a disappointing year, it was still a productive season. While playing in all 17 Cowboys games, he racked up 1,002 yard and 10 touchdowns on 237 runs.
Elliott was not available last year due to lingering injuries. McCarthy stated that Elliott is now fully healthy and ready to play in 2022. So, fans can expect him to continue racking up the rushing yards and ripping through tackles with ease this season.